Police Headquarters has warned the public about a scam involving the online sale of construction materials, in which fraudsters use social media to take money from buyers.
According to police, the scammers advertise asbestos roofing sheets, cement and other building materials at prices well below prevailing market rates, using the advertisements to attract orders.
How the scheme works
Once a customer places an order, the fraudsters contact a genuine building materials dealer in the customer’s area and arrange for the goods to be delivered to the customer’s home or building site. The delivery is real, and comes from a legitimate supplier — which is what makes the transaction look credible.
The payment, however, is routed away from that dealer. The buyer discovers the problem only when the delivery arrives and the driver asks to be paid, having already transferred money on the strength of the advertisement.
Police said several complaints of this kind have been received.
What police advise
Buyers are urged to verify the identity of sellers and the authenticity of online advertisements before placing orders or making payments, particularly where goods are offered at unusually low prices.
Police also advise against making an online payment simply because goods have arrived at a home or site, and recommend contacting the delivery driver or the hardware store owner directly to confirm the transaction. Where a bank transfer is used, payment should be sent only to an official account registered in the name of the dealer supplying the goods.
Newswire reported that the advertisements have appeared on platforms including ikman and Facebook Marketplace.
